Wildfires burned through the resort town of Mati, 18 miles east of Athens, on July 23, killing at least 80 people. The fires were mostly contained by July 24. The cause of the fires was unknown as of press time, but Greek authorities suggested that it might have been arson.
A number of people ran into the Aegean Sea to escape the flames. The Hellenic Coast Guard rescued more than 700 people from the waters, but a number of the people killed during the fire died of asphyxiation while in the water.